Sanjeev Goenka of the Sanjeev Goenka Group has defended the allotment process of captive coal blocks, saying it was transparent. Goenka's company CESC, the biggest private power player in the East, was one of those allotted a coal block as part of the allotments which have triggered a raging controversy in Parliament. Goenka says that private producers need coal to generate power, but that they don’t want any special favours, just a mechanism that is merit based.